DHAKA - President Md. Abdul Hamid today paid profound tributes to the martyred intellectuals by placing wreaths at the Martyred Intellectuals Mausoleum at Mirpur here on the occasion of Martyred Intellectuals Day.

The President placed the wreaths around 7:05 am to pay homage to the great heroes, who sacrificed their lives for the cause of the country and the nation.

President Hamid stood in solemn silence there for some time as the bugle played the last post.

After placing the wreaths, the President also talked to the war-wounded freedom fighters and family members of the martyred intellectuals there and enquired about their wellbeing.

Earlier, on his arrival at the mausoleum site, President Hamid was received by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.

On this day in 1971, the illustrious sons of the soil were brutally killed at the fag end of the Liberation War as the Pakistani occupation army with the help of their local collaborators -- Razakar, Al-Badr and Al- Shams -- abducted intellectuals and professionals sensing their imminent defeat.

The intellectuals were taken blindfolded to torture cells in Mirpur, Mohammadpur, Nakhalpara, Rajarbagh and other locations in different parts of the capital and later executed en masse at different killing grounds, most notably Rayerbazar and Mirpur to cripple the nation intellectually.

Since then, the day is being observed as the Martyred Intellectuals Day.